


strikethrough

by scribblesforyu



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: A Pinch of Angst, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Ambiguous/Open Ending, M/M, Soulmates, and also doyoung and taeyong OMG, idk how to tag without spoiloing so yeah, mentions of johnten, oh jungwoo is here too, the world needs more yujae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28007271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblesforyu/pseuds/scribblesforyu
Summary: "Ah, as expected. Candid photos are always the prettiest," Jaehyun said as he walks towards the bench where Yuta was sitting on. "Especially if you're the subject," he added the moment he took the seat next to Yuta. The latter could only let out a small chuckle.-or, you know what? fuck fate and soulmates, really
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Nakamoto Yuta
Kudos: 30





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**Author's Note:**

> hello, it's my first fic here, and i dont really write that much so im sorry (in advance) for how this fic turned out. already posted a shorter version of this on my twt so if you have already come across that, just pretend you didnt sksksksks nways, enjoy, i guess?

**3:01 pm**

"14 minutes. That'll be enough, I guess." Yuta said, convincing himself that he'd be able to do what he's supposed to do in such a short period.

He took a deep breath and cracked a sad smile as he shifts his gaze from his watch to the view in front of him.

Jaehyun was looking all cute and adorable taking as many pictures as he can get of the kids playing around the boulevard - way cuter than the little kids themselves, if you'd ask Yuta.

It has only been 15 days since they first met. Yuta can't believe it himself for he felt like he already spent half a lifetime with Jaehyun. It's ridiculous, how he fell head over heels for the guy. But then again, who wouldn't? When Jaehyun looked like he walked straight out of a fairy tale book the first time they crossed paths? When Jaehyun looked his way and smiled at him? When Jaehyun helped him with the pile of books he was carrying? When Jaehyun shyly initiated their first conversation, not knowing that Yuta actually planned their whole encounter? When Jaehyun asked him to keep him company as he works on his project for his film course which by the way brought them to where they are now? Yuta looked sideways and sadly smiled to himself.

The sight that greeted Jaehyun when he turned to look at Yuta made his heart skipped a beat. The sad smile in Yuta’s lips reminded him of the very first time he laid eyes on the latter – only that Yuta’s smile that day screams nothing but genuine happiness.

“Yuta!” Jaehyun called for him once, but Yuta didn’t even budge. Whatever the older was thinking of at the moment sure has him spacing out much deeper than Jaehyun had thought.

Jaehyun took the opportunity to snap a photo of the beautiful sight in front of him.

_*click_

Yuta looked at Jaehyun's direction when he heard the shutter click.

"Ah, as expected. Candid photos are always the prettiest." Jaehyun said as he walks towards the bench where Yuta was sitting on.

It has only been 15 days. And heaven knows how bad Yuta wanted to extend it for another 15 days. But he can't, so he moved a little to the left to give Jaehyun some space, placed his hands in his pocket, and heaved a very deep sigh, which fortunately Jaehyun didn't catch, as he was still a few steps away.

"Especially if you're the subject," Jaehyun added the moment he took the seat next to Yuta. The latter only let out a small chuckle. Jaehyun really likes to throw pick-up lines any chance he gets that Yuta's starting to think he majors in it instead of Film.

**3:05 pm**

"Jaehyun." Yuta started. Jaehyun only hummed which means he heard him and is only waiting for him to continue, so Yuta did.

"D-do you remember that question I asked you the very first time we talked to each other?"

Jaehyun caught the stutter and uneasiness from Yuta's voice - the same way he observed how unusually quiet the latter was today. Of course, Jaehyun noticed. He was no naive when it comes to Yuta. But, just as how he chose to respond to it before, he shoved it aside.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" Jaehyun said, mimicking the way Yuta asked him 15 days ago, earning a fit of laughter from Yuta.

Oh how Jaehyun loves it when he makes the older laugh at his antics - Yuta's laugh really is music to his ears, one that he can listen to every minute of the day and not get tired of it.

"You said no." 

Jaehyun nodded and locked eyes with Yuta to see what the latter was trying to tell him. And then he knew. He knew what's coming next, but he waited.

"That was 15 days ago. How about now?" Yuta asked, hoping that this time, Jaehyun will say yes. Hoping that IT worked - that his sacrifices won't be in vain.

It's silly, Jaehyun thought, the idea of thinking one can change a person's mindset about a certain thing in just a short amount of time really is silly, not to mention that that person's a stranger. But then again, it's Yuta. And, even though Jaehyun can't seem to explain why, there's something about the aura Yuta exudes that Jaehyun felt like anything's possible with him - because he’s Yuta.

Jaehyun started to think about how the past 15 days went by. How he instantly clicked with Yuta - a stranger, when it usually takes him a much longer time to get used to hanging out with other people - how they have a lot of similarities and differences at the same time, how they basically complement each other, how he felt his heart explode when Yuta complimented his shots, how he automatically smile every time he sees Yuta being excited and giddy, how his heart race whenever they lock eyes with each other, how he finds it hard to breathe when they're close to each other like this. Maybe soul mates do exist.

And maybe, just maybe, his was the guy sitting beside him.

So with that thought in mind, Jaehyun smiled at Yuta.

"I think I do now," Jaehyun answered.

That was all Yuta wanted to hear. But . . .

"I hope you're mine," Jaehyun added in a low voice but still loud enough for Yuta to catch the words. "Actually, no. I know and I'm sure it's you." Jaehyun said, louder and clearer this time.

Yuta blinked once. Blinked again, and again and again. He wasn't sure if he heard him right. He was buffering.

"Why?" He managed to say after being tongue-tied for a full minute.

"I like you so much I want it to be you," Jaehyun replied, looking everywhere but Yuta's direction - he was too shy and embarrassed he didn't even know he managed to say that. Yuta, on the other hand, though equally shocked by how the course of events turned out, bravely took Jaehyun's hand in his and rested his head on the younger's shoulder. And Jaehyun, ever the whipped guy that he is, just smiled at the gesture and closes his eyes as the butterflies in his stomach takes flight.

Yuta at that moment silently admitted that he really did fall for him - for the guy who looked like he walked straight out of a fairy tale book the first time they crossed paths, the guy who helped him with the pile of books he was carrying, the guy who shyly initiated their first conversation (not knowing that the whole encounter's actually planned), the guy who asked him to keep him company as he works on his project for his film course - he fell for the very same guy beside him right now just like how ordinary people most likely would.

But that was the catch. Yuta's anything but ordinary, and he knew he's not supposed to put himself in the situation he's currently on. Yuta crafted the whole 'befriend Jung Jaehyun' scheme to get him to believe in the idea of having someone out there who'll help him complete the jigsaw puzzle that is his self and make the real soul mates meet, pretty much like how the great Cupid instructed him – and falling in love in the process was never part of that plan. This never happened before, and he’s been assigned to play cupid for hot and fine guys before so that’s saying something.

Yuta squeezed Jaehyun's hand a little tighter. If love means just sitting there beside each other, hands intertwined and hearts beating in sync, then love's easily the easiest thing there is to do.

But it isn't, and Yuta knows that very well.

**3:14 pm**

It was already 14 minutes past 3 when Yuta decided to look at his watch again.

"Any moment now..." he thought, scanning the boulevard as if looking for something.

His breath hitched when he caught a glimpse of someone. He let out a defeated smile when he recovered.

"Jaehyun?" For the last time, he called his name. And for the last time, Jaehyun (though he didn't know it was, and probably will never find out) hummed in response.

"I like you too. A lot." Jaehyun smiled, his dimple yet again making its appearance, but before he could open his eyes and exactly at 3:15 pm that day, Yuta vanished at the sound of his finger snap - leaving the former alone: no company, no idea of what just happened, and no memory of Yuta, not even a single trace of the 15 days they spent together, _or so he thought._

"Hello?" Jaehyun opened his eyes at once. A figure of a petite guy that Jaehyun thinks is just a little older than him was awkwardly standing in front of him.

"Yes?" Jaehyun asked, still kind of dazed and confused. He didn't even know what he's doing out there at 3 in the afternoon.

The guy scratched the back of his head as he replied, "Ah, well. I was asking if I can take the seat next to you? It's my favorite spot here. But if it's already taken then-----"

"No!" Jaehyun kinda said that a little too loud causing the other guy to stop in his tracks and just stare at him.

"I mean, no, it's not taken so yes feel free to sit." Jaehyun clarified, the guy just beamed and sat beside him.

It was only then that Jaehyun noticed the guy's got a puppy with him.

'Cute.' He thought.

The two, despite the awkward interaction earlier, sat in comfortable silence. From afar, Yuta watches them and couldn’t stop thinking about how the two actually look good together. T’was very silly of him to think he’d stand a chance against Taeyong just because he met Jaehyun first. After all, the two were soul mates, and Yuta was just drawn into the picture to make them finally meet. He just hopes he won’t forget to ask the great Cupid why it had to be him in the first place when he returns.

The stranger, or Taeyong (as Yuta referred to him), was scrolling through his phone and checking the surrounding every once in a while as if waiting / looking for someone. Jaehyun, on the other hand, checked the camera he was holding and finally remembered as to why he was out in the park that afternoon: his photo essay for his Photography subject due tomorrow. He flashed a satisfied smile as he goes through the pictures of children he took. His smile even grown bigger when a certain photograph he was so sure he took a month ago appeared on screen. It was a photo taken at a Café, a close-up shot of a platinum-haired barista with the sweetest smile plastered on his face (and the most enchanting pair of twinkling doe eyes Jaehyun’s ever seen his whole life.)

And then, he felt something weird.

There was a weird prickling at the back of his neck, the kind of tickles he get whenever he feels like he’s being watched, so Jaehyun turned to check.

Yuta panicked internally when he saw Jaehyun turned to look around so he hastily crossed out the last 2 names on the fifth page of his small notepad, and quickly vanished into thin air before he gets swayed and do something stupid again.

_~~125\. Lee Donghyuck & Lee Minhyung~~ _

_~~126\. Johnny Suh & Ten Lee~~ _

**_~~127\. Jung Jaehyun & Lee Taeyong~~ _ **

But Jaehyun turned just in time to see a certain someone from a far. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he’s not just seeing things, but when he opened them again, certain someone was already nowhere to be seen.

Could it be . . .?

Then Jaehyun finally realized which park he was currently at. His heart started to beat faster. He then gathered his things and sprinted towards the opposite street.

He was nearly out of breath when he reached his destination. It wasn’t really that far tho, it didn’t even take him 5 minutes to get there. It’s just that it’s been ages since the last time Jaehyun ran like that. He stopped just outside the café to catch his breathe. A few deep breaths later, he was finally ready to go inside, but just before he get his hand on the door handle, the door burst opened and a tall guy with broad shoulders stepped outside, obviously in hurry so of course Jaehyun gave way. Said guy was talking to someone on his phone, he looked a little annoyed but the hint of fondness in his voice as he reply to whomever he was talking to didn’t go unnoticed to Jaehyun.

Jaehyun was never the type to eavesdrop, so when he heard the tall guy said “I told you to meet me at the café near the park Lee Taeyong, you dummy! Never mind, I’m on my way there. Stay where you are,” it was just an accident, as the guy’s voice was a little too loud for him not to _accidentally_ hear.

When he stepped inside the café, his memories of the place from a month ago came rushing in, and the image of Johnny Suh, the Photography Club President, and his boyfriend Ten sitting and smiling sweetly at each other at the farthest corner of the café didn’t help.

A month ago, Jaehyun was seated at that very same spot, working on his paper which was already a week and two days overdue.

A month ago, Johnny was standing near the counter holding a bouquet of flowers with 5 of his co-members from the Photography club holding a piece of cardboard each. He was obviously asking Ten, the cute barista, out. Though Jaehyun perceived Johnny as someone out-going and confident, he never once imagined the guy was the type to publicly confess to someone yet there he was, witnessing Johnny doing exactly that.

A month ago, Jaehyun’s eyes landed on someone who automatically made his breath hitch. He took his camera out of its bag, albeit his hands slightly shaking, and snapped a photo of the platinum-haired guy standing next to Ten at the counter.

A month ago, Jaehyun, no matter how cliché it sounds, fell in love. At first sight.

Jaehyun just smiled at the memory. He then took a deep breath in hopes of calming down his frantically beating heart, before making his way to the counter.

If the barista noticed how Jaehyun’s face fell after scanning the counter (as if he's expecting to see someone else other than the puppy-looking barista in front of him right now), he was polite enough not to bring it up.

“Hey, Jaehyun!” Jungwoo, the barista, greeted him with a big smile.

Jaehyun knew him, yes. They shared a couple of class before. Jungwoo was a Business Administration student just one year behind him, and has been working in the café together with Ten for almost a year now.

And, as if the information just dawned upon him, he felt his jaw dropped. Jaehyun wondered why he never thought of asking Jungwoo _THE question._

“Say, Jungwoo. . .” he started, while carefully resting his left arm on the counter, the other still holding his precious camera. “Uhh, do you perhaps know a guy just a little taller than Ten with a platinum hair who’s working as a part-timer here?” he asked.

Jungwoo tilted his head, but nodded slowly after. “I do know someone like that,” Jungwoo answered. Jaehyun almost didn’t notice the sadness in Jungwoo’s eyes as the latter continued, “but he’s not working here anymore. He actually only lasted a few weeks. Said he needed to focus on something else and then quitted last month.”

“Oh.” That’s the only word Jaehyun was able to utter before looking away and heaving a deep sigh.

“His name was Yuta, by the way.” Jungwoo said, trying his best give Jaehyun a comforting and sympathizing smile.

“Yuta,” Jaehyun repeated under his breath.

He returned the smile to Jungwoo and murmured a small ‘thanks’ before walking away, placing his free hand in his pocket.

_The name didn’t ring a bell. But somehow, it tugged at his heartstrings._

**Author's Note:**

> hmmm?


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